Ayahuasca use in cross-cultural perspective.
Marlene Dobkin De Rios, Charles S. Grob
J Psychoactive Drugs June 1, 2005 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2005.10399790 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThis editorial introduces a special issue examining ayahuasca use across different cultural contexts, from indigenous Amazonian traditions to contemporary global therapeutic settings. It highlights how the visionary brew, traditionally used as sacred plant medicine for spiritual and personal growth, healing, and ritual purposes, has increasingly attracted Western interest for consciousness expansion, psychological well-being, and emotional wellness. The introduction sets the stage for exploring cross-cultural healing practices, ethnobotanical knowledge, and the integration of indigenous medicine into alternative and global therapeutic frameworks, emphasizing both the potential benefits and the need for respectful, informed engagement with these traditions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Editorial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Amazonian brew Sacred plant medicine Entheogen Visionary brew |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key finding | Proposes that cross-cultural study of ayahuasca use reveals how social context, belief systems, and ritual structure shape its effects and meanings, challenging purely biomedical accounts. |
Abstract
(2005). Editors' Introduction: Ayahuasca Use in Cross-Cultural Perspective. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: Vol. 37, Ayahuasca Use In Cross-Cultural Perspective, pp. 119-121.